Simon Cowell Wants Britney Spears Out of ‘X Factor’

The departures may be continuing for Simon Cowell’s reality singing show “The X Factor,” with Us Weekly reporting that Britney Spears and her $15 million contract will be following now-ex judge L.A. Reid out the door.

“It isn’t working,” said one source to the magazine regarding Spears’ single season as a judge. Another annoyed insider chimed in that producers “paid all that for her to say ‘amazing’ and offer half-claps.”

Yet another inside source indicated that it is Cowell who is pushing for Spears’ departure. “He wanted crazy Britney, but he got boring Britney.”

Reports aside, Spears has indicated she enjoys being on the show and told a red carpet interviewer in November that she “definitely” will be back for a second season.

In just two seasons, “The X Factor” has watched four judges come and go: Cheryl Cole, Nicole Scherzinger, Paula Abdul and Reid, who announced his departure shortly before the season 2 finale on Dec. 20.

The shakeups come just two months after Reid told Billboard he was comfortable with the current panel, which also includes Demi Lovato.

“I’m actually very hopeful that ‘X Factor’ keeps the same panel going forward,” fellow judge L.A. Reid told Billboard in October. “I think that we actually suffer a little but for not having that consistency in our panel.” [Billboard.biz]